Prince - Atlanta '80 (2005)

The earliest widely circulating recording of Prince's career taken from his stint as the opening act for Rick James. An excellent soundboard recording, and all the more remarkable considering it is almost 30 years old. The recording is unfortunately slightly incomplete, however that's more an observation than a complaint. Although very short, this recording is very highly recommended. The quality of the recording is excellent, and Prince and the band sound great. I was impressed by how sharp they were. There is plenty of indications as we listen here of what will come in the future, but this is hindsight, I don’t think at the time I would of guessed. All in all a great peek into the beginnings of the legend. The show itself is a fascinating look at Prince's early live career, and includes a rare live performance of 'Just As Long As We're Together' - something which is hard to find in all the performances through the years. An essential release in any collection.